Sunset
by Michael2
Summary: Bail Organa receives a call from the Emperor.


Viceroy Bail Organa walsk through the carpeted halls of the Royal Palace in Alderaan and enters his bedroom. He opens his closet and unbuttons his vest. The palace servants are preparing dinner- a roasted fish caught from deep inside the planet Naboo, garnished with herbs and spices.  
"How are you feeling, darling?" asks his wife as she is getting dressed into something more comfortable for a quiet dinner together. "Just trying to get through the day," Bail replies. "There are a lot of people attending the memorial service"  
He looks at the photographs. Unlike the photgographs in his office on the first floor, these are more personal photographs. There are photographs of him and his wife, and a photgbraph of their daughter Leia.  
He can still remember that day when Emperor Palpatine himself called him and informed him and his wife that Leia was killed when the Rebels ambushed the Tantive IV. They were both immediately heartborken. The girl whom they fell in love with just twenty years ago dead. Of course, they knew that the Rebel Alliance did no such thing. Bail was the one who addressed the press about Leia's death; it took all of his spiritual strength just to do that. Minutes later, the Emperor made a statement, blaming the Rebels and vowing to bring Leia's murderers to justice. Just yesterday, Emperor Palpatine had paid a vist to Alderaan to pay respects to Princess Leia. They look out the window, towards the setting sun. Sunsets had always been beautiful when viewed from the bedroom. But with Leia gone.  
Bail and his wife are interrupted by a voice.  
"We have a communication from Coruscant," says the voice of the Royal Palace switchboard operator. "The Emperor wishes to have a word"  
"Send it to our bedroom," says Bail's wife.  
The holographic image of Emperor Palpatine appears like a ghost.  
"Hail Palpatine," Bail and his wife say.  
"Hello," says the Emperor. "How are you two doing"  
"We're trying to do the best we can," says Bail.  
"I can't imagine going on without Leia," says his wife.  
"I have some news abour Princess Leia," says the Emperor.  
"What news?" asks Bail.  
"At the time of her death, Princess Leia was under investigation for treason"  
"What?" asks Leia's mother, with a tone of surprise.  
"This can't be," says Bail. "My daughter a traitor"  
"She was investigated for providing material aid to the Rebel Alliance," says the Emperor. "The Attorney General was going to present his report to me when I was informed of the ambush on her ship"  
"So they killed her to stifle the investigation," says Bail's wife.  
"That is not all. We did further investigation once Princess Leia's activities were discovered. the Alliance was funded through shell corporations. It was sophisticated. The people who funded the Alliance were very good at hiding the source of their transactions. But they were not good enough.  
"We traced to to the Alderaan Royal Palace. We traced it to you"  
The blood drains from their faces. They look towards the door, waiting for it to be knocked down.  
"You must be looking for stormtroopers," says the Emperor. "There isn't a single stormtrooper on this planet. Why not look out your window"  
They look outside the window. They can see the setting sun. They see a spaceship flying high, and they see something else, a circular object slowly moving.  
"The Death Star, the Empire's most powerful weapon," says Emperor Palpatine. "Capable of destroying an entire planet. It is right up there, in orbit around Alderaan. Princess Leia is alive and in custody on board the Death Star. I ordered that she be kept alive to witness the test firing of the main weapon. I have personally chosen ground zero for the test firing, and you two are standing right there. Farewell"  
"We're peaceful!" says Bail. "We have no weapons! YOU CAN'T DO THIS"  
Emperor Palaptine's image disappears.  
Bail and his wife look at the small circular object that is the Death Star. Leia is up there. They wonder if she is looking upon Alderaan, if she is looking down on them.  
Then everything disappears in a green flash.  
Then nothing. 


End file.
